Method of manufacture for wooden gunstocks

Abstract

An improved method for the manufacture of wooden gunstocks comprising the steps of first heat treating the wood and then fashioning the wood into a gunstock, whereby the resulting gunstock is more weather and rot resistant, more stable, and lighter than gunstocks fashioned from untreated wood.

1. An improved method of preparing a wooden gunstock, said method comprising the following steps:
 A. obtain a piece of wood having a thickness of between two and five inches and a length of between six and seventy inches; 
 B. dry said piece of wood until said piece of wood has a moisture content of less than fifteen percent; 
 C. place said piece of wood into an oven heated to between 180° C. and 240° C.; 
 D. allow said piece of wood to be heated by oven for between 2 and 96 hours such that said piece of wood achieves an internal temperature of at least 180° C.; 
 E. remove said piece of wood from oven and allow said piece of wood to cool to substantially room temperature; and 
 F. cut said piece of wood into rough gunstock blank; 
 whereby Steps A through F are to be performed consecutively. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the piece of wood obtained in Step A is chosen from the group of the following species of tree:
 American Beech ( Fagus Grandifolia ), Red Maple ( Acer Rubrum ), Black Walnut ( Juglans Nigra ), Hard maple ( Acer Saccharum ), Turkish Walnut a/k/a English Walnut ( Juglans Regia ), California Walnut ( Juglans Californica ), Yellow Birch ( Betula Alleghaniensis ), and Claro Walnut ( Juglans Hindsii ). 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the following step:
 G. create finished gunstock from rough gunstock blank; 
 whereby Step G is performed after Step F. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the gunstock blank is finished in Step G by use of a computerized finishing machine. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the following steps:
 A′. obtain a log from a tree; and 
 A″. cut a piece of wood from said log to a size appropriate for use in Step A; 
 whereby Step A′ is performed before Step A″ and Step A″ is performed before Step A. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein the log obtained in Step A′ is chosen from the group of the following species of tree:
 American Beech ( Fagus Grandifolia ), Red Maple ( Acer Rubrum ), Black Walnut ( Juglans Nigra ), Hard maple ( Acer Saccharum ), Turkish Walnut a/k/a English Walnut ( Juglans Regia ), California Walnut ( Juglans Californica ), Yellow Birch ( Betula Alleghaniensis ), and Claro Walnut ( Juglans Hindsii ). 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the wood dried in Step B is dried in a kiln. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the wood dried in Step B is air dried. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the wood heated in Step D is heated for between 36 and 72 hours. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the following step:
 D′. during Step D, apply a treatment to said piece of wood; 
 whereby Step D′ is performed concurrently with Step D. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  wherein the treatment applied in Step D′ is a coolant. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  wherein the coolant applied in Step D′ is water. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein the water applied in Step D′ is in the form of steam. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  wherein the water applied in Step D′ is in liquid form. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10  wherein the treatment in Step D′ is applied periodically to the piece of wood. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10  wherein the treatment applied in Step D′ is applied continuously to the piece of wood. 
     
     
       17. An improved method of preparing a wooden gunstock, said method comprising the following steps:
 A. obtain a log of a certain species of tree chosen from the group of the following species of tree:
 American Beech ( Fagus Grandifolia ), Red Maple ( Acer Rubrum ), Black Walnut ( Juglans Nigra ), Hard maple ( Acer Saccharum ), Turkish Walnut a/k/a English Walnut ( Juglans Regia ), California Walnut ( Juglans Californica ), Yellow Birch ( Betula Alleghaniensis ), and Claro Walnut ( Juglans Hindsii ); 
 
 B. cut a piece of wood from said log to a size having a thickness of between two and five inches and a length of between six and seventy inches; 
 C. dry said piece of wood in a kiln until said piece of wood has a moisture content of less than fifteen percent; 
 D. place said piece of wood into an oven heated to between 180° C. and 230° C.; 
 E. allow said piece of wood to be heated by oven for between 36 and 72 hours such that said piece of wood achieves a temperature of at least 180° C. Celsius; 
 E′. during Step E, above, periodically apply water in the form of steam to said piece of wood; 
 F. remove said piece of wood from oven and allow said piece of wood to cool to substantially room temperature; 
 G. cut said piece of wood into rough gunstock blank; and 
 H. create finished gunstock from rough gunstock blank by use of a computerized finishing machine; 
 whereby Steps A through H are to be performed consecutively, except for Step E′, which is performed concurrently with Step E. 
 
     
     
       18. An improved method of preparing a wooden gunstock, said method comprising the following steps:
 A. obtain a gunstock blank fashioned from wood; 
 B. dry said gunstock blank until said gunstock blank has a moisture content of less than fifteen percent; 
 C. place said gunstock blank into an oven heated to between 180° C. and 240° C.; 
 D. allow said gunstock blank to be heated by oven for between 2 and 96 hours such that said gunstock blank achieves an internal temperature of at least 180° C.; and 
 E. remove said gunstock blank from oven and allow said gunstock blank to cool to substantially room temperature; 
 whereby Steps A through E are to be performed consecutively. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein the gunstock blank obtained in Step A is made from wood chosen from the group of the following species of tree:
 American Beech ( Fagus Grandifolia ), Red Maple ( Acer Rubrum ), Black Walnut ( Juglans Nigra ), Hard maple ( Acer Saccharum ), Turkish Walnut a/k/a English Walnut ( Juglans Regia ), California Walnut ( Juglans Californica ), Yellow Birch ( Betula Alleghaniensis ), and Claro Walnut ( Juglans Hindsii ). 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18  further comprising the following step:
 F. create finished gunstock from gunstock blank; 
 whereby Step F is performed after Step E.